The Coffee
By Jess S
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from House.
Chapter six: People from the past wake up things from the past
Someone once said: Whenever you do something because "life is too short not to," you can be sure life will be just long enough to punish you for it.
"Cameron, are you ready?" Chase knocked on the bathroom door for the fifith time. The young blonde walked across the room, and settled on the bed while waiting for Cameron.
Foreman had insisted that they stayed at his place and so had Wilson, but both Chase, and Cameron felt that it was for the best ifthey rented two rooms at a hotel near the hospital. It wasn't like they were planning on staying in New Jersey for a very long time. They constantly had to remind themself that they were only there to find out what sort of disease the patient was suffering from.
Saturday morning and afternoon were spend at the hospital. Chase and Cameron were already acquainted with New Jersey, so Cameron said that she would rather work at the clinic instead of spending her day in a hotel room, and somehow Chase ended up doing the same. It was just like old times.
But there was one thing that had bothered Robert Chase. It had been haunting him all day.
Cameron had avoided House, and that was something he excpected given their history, but whathe didn't expect was Cameron to avoid House at all costs. Like for instance the one time House walked past them in the hallway Cameron had buried her head in papers until House was no longer to be seen.
Cuddy had at some point come down to the clinic and invited them, meaning Chase and Cameron, to some sort of fundraiser-thing as a 'thank you' for working at the clinic. Chase hadn't want to, however Cameron managed to convince him in the end, saying that it would be fun to catch up with old co-workers. Fun for who? Chase wondered.
"Cameron, Cameron, Cameron, Cameron…"
"What are you, five?" Cameron walked out of the bathroom laughing at her long-time friend. She was ready to go and have a great time. And therefore she had choosen something that was elegeant and comfortable at the same time. A beautiful blue dress with a asymmetrical raw edged skirt, and that hit above the knee with a drop waist.
However Cameron's favourite part was the V-neckline that had a dangling rhinestone ornamnt at the center. And the fact that it was simple to tie a strap at the back of the neck was a pluss for her.
"What, are you planning on getting some tonight?" She was dressed, finally but what she was wearing was something Chase did not want other people too see her in. His voice sounded almost bitter.
"What?" Cameron looked at him, smiling and hoping she had misread the meaning of his words. Chase wasn't the kind of person to usually say things like that to her.
Chase regreted his words and at the same time felt sick to his stomich, but he decided to ignore the sickness. He shook his head and said, "Nothing, never mind, let's just go, okay?"
His only goal tonight was to make an appreance at the party, and get out of there as fast as possible. With Cameron.
xXx
The party wasn't far from the hotel and soon after they had become one with the gathering. Practically every male in the room had noticed Cameron, much to Chase's disapproval. No wonder their eyes landed on her, considering what she was wearing.
But, he did his best to swallow the agony away, and promised himself that none would come too close to Cameron.
After a while Foreman had explained to them where they were supposed to sit. It had appered that it had been orginazed in a way where Cameron, Chase, Foreman, Reid, Wilson, Cuddy and House were all at the same table.
At the time, the only people who had arrived were Cameron, Chase, Foreman and Cuddy. Other them, the room was filled with people who were involved in medicine and hospitals. They were now left to wait for Ried, Wilson and House.
xXx
A short time later Cameron and Chase along with Foreman and Cuddy, had started talking about old cases and how Chase and Cameron were doing at their new job. Then Dr. Reid had appeared. The young doctor felt a bit awkward, but soon fitted in with the rest of the team.
Slowly time was passing by and still neither Wilson nor House had arrived to the party. Cameron had decided not long after she and Chase left the hotel, that she was simply going to ignore everything that had happened between her and House last night. Even if that would not be an easy task, she knew that she didn't really have any other options. She just hoped that Stacy wouldn't attend the party.
"Dr. Cameron, would you care to dance with me" She looked at up and saw Wilson smiling. She smiled back and suddenly noticed House sitting across the table, watching her every move. She hadn't even noticed them coming in. But there was House, sitting in his custom made black suit, something Wilson probably had to drag him to the store to buy.
For the first time that day blue eyes met green eyes, and House was doing everything he could to keep eye contact with Cameron. With a cold stare Cameron watched his crystal blue eyes, and remembered the first time she saw the look he was giving her. House was great, a master one could say, at disguising his feelings, but when it came to his eyes, they always told Cameron what he felt.
The former thoughts that she had to ignoring every thing that had happened were becoming a very difficult task to perform.
xXx
The first step House took in the large salon and his eyes went straight to her. And that blue dress. House was almost certain that Wilson saw where his eyes were focusing, but at that moment he didn't care. House never cared about anyone when it came to her.
Besides it wasn't like Wilson did not know their history together, unlike the rest of the hospital.
Wilson had decided without telling House, that he was going to ask Cameron to dance. And House knew that he would have to make a sarcastic comment soon to cover up his quietness.
"I saw a really cool car outside. Steal it on the way over, Foreman?"
Foreman responded with rolling his eyes. His eyes continued watching Cameron being lead by Wilson on to the beautiful ornate floor. Slowly the room was filled with the soft voice of Luther Vandross.
Cameron clasped her right hand with Wilson's, and let her left hand rest on his back as they started dancing.
"You look very beautiful tonight, Allison" Wilson admitted, and Cameron noticed he used her forename consciously.
"Thank you." A smile crossed Cameron's face. "You look handsome" She always felt that a good time and Wilson could be used in the same sentence often.
He chuckled, and looked around the room. "Can I ask you something?" Even with the closeness that Cameron and Wilson got before she left, Wilson still felt like there were things that they couldn't talk about. However this was something that was necessary.
"Sure, I'll try my best with the answer?" Another small smile tilted the corner of Cameron's mouth.
Wilson wasn't quite sure how to begin, so he decided it was best to simply jump right in. "You and House…" But Cameron interrupted him with a soft voice, saying; "there is no House and I".
Wilson's forehead wrinkled, he was confused of how Cameron couldn't see it. The question needed to be asked quickly.
"Haven't you noticed the way he looks at you?" Wilson was giving it all he had. He wanted them to be happy. He saw how House and Cameron acted around each other and how happy they were together. In their own little way, of course. Sure, they used to have their problems, but didn't every couple struggle with difficulties.
"Wilson…" Her gentle voice was pleading him to stop bringing up the past.
"Tell him the truth about you and Chase!" The sentence came out a little bit louder than Wilson had indented it to, and caused a few heads to turn. Luckily the sound of his voice did reach the ears of people that were good at spreading around rumors.
Cameron didn't want to be angry with Wilson for telling her what he did, but she couldn't help but feel both sad and angry when it came to thinking about the past. She knew that Wilson was House's friend and that he wanted the best for the both of them, but the whole situation she and House had gotten themself in was best to leave in the past.
"If you don't mind…" Chase's hand was reaching out to Cameron, but his eyes were staring at Wilson.
Wilson smiled at Cameron, but his smile faded when he turned his attention to Chase. "Sure"
Slowly, Wilson made it to House and the rest of the team. He made himself a memo that next time he would refuse to drink with House before coming to a gathering.
xXx
Cameron and Chase didn't really have time to talk or dance much. The music stopped shortly after Wilson had sat down close to Cuddy. And then a young female announced that dinner would soon be served, therefore everybody had to be seated.
Cameron had dreaded the moment when everybody would be joined around one table. Cuddy, Wilson, Foreman, Reid, Chase, herself and House. But, for what felt like the hundred time that day, Cameron took a depth breath and sat down on the chair that Chase was holding out for her.
"You're starting to get very slim, Dr Cameron" House voice broke sharply through the silence.
Reid felt nervous. House wasn't even looking at her; he hadn't even made one comment about her dress. It wasn't like she was expecting House to fall on his knees, but at least say that she looked…not nice, she wasn't naïve. All Reid wanted was for him to make a somewhat House comment. At least that way she would know that she was noticed.
But Reid had to face it, he was House, and House always did things his way.
"Oh, was that the vicodin or the scotch talking?" Cameron snapped back at him, and caused everybody around the table to watch in excitement.
Before a sarcastic comment managed to leave House's lips, the young lady once again appeared on the stage, and announced that the show was ready to be presented to the audience.
xXx
The tension around the table was building up, and was at on its high point when the audience started applauding the cast of the show. It had lasted for what seemed like forever.
Most of the people were in their own thoughts during the show. Wilson was worried about what House was going to say after the show ended, because he knew that House always made sure to get the last word.
Chase was thinking about how to get as fast as possible back to the hotel, where there would only him and Cameron.
Cameron was feeling exhausted, not from any physical work, but from being anxious the from the moment the sign read New Jersey. She had to constantly remind herself that they were there for the patient, not to bring up the past. She wished that everybody else could understand her desire to.
House was in his own little world. He figured that everybody probably thought that he had a sarcastic comment to throw back at Cameron, but truth be told, he didn't. House hated the feeling that her sweetness was rubbing of on him. He simply wanted everybody to think that he was the same old, bitter bastard, but for some reason he liked to believe that he had changed a bit, though not much. For his own good, he wasn't that bitter at the world anymore, but there was no reason that the rest of the world needed to know that.
xXx
It was like they all had made plans to get up at the same time. Cuddy, in her stunning red dress, got up and pulled Wilson with her. Foreman quickly asked Reid to dance. And that left House with Chase and Cameron.
Cameron grabbed her drink, and held it close to her lips without drinking it. House was sure that she was only trying to stall any type of conversation.
A pain shot through House's leg and it didn't get past Cameron. Chase was his ignorant self, and continued staring at the bar near the exit door.
"Are you in pain?" Cameron asked House with concern.
"No, I'm trying too win an Oscar in acting" He rubbed his leg, but his hand stopped when the pain became too much to handle. He bent his head back and clutched his teeth, breathing slowly. Great, he had to be cranky when his leg hurt, and now the great comment to the British one would have to wait.
Chase looked at Cameron's face. She should be mad, but instead her eyes reflected concern. She couldn't right, no, it was impossible. She wouldn't lie to him, she couldn't. Chase was her friend. That wasn't the Cameron that he knew. Unless, there was a chance that Cameron didn't want to admit her feelings for House to herself. Was she still in love with their former boss? Chase wondered.
It was like a reflex when Cameron stood up and stuck her hand in House's suit pocket. She pulled out the familiar orange bottle. The bottle that contained Vicodin, was something every one knew of.
"Here, take this" Cameron held out two painkillers. His fingers brushed past her hand and Cameron could have sworn that goose bumps were seen, even just for a second. She didn't even bother offering him water or something else to drink, knowing that he would swallow them dry.
Chase could feel every muscle in his body tensing up. What was Cameron doing helping House?
From the dance floor Wilson noticed that Cameron was sitting in his chair, next to House. When Wilson and Cuddy returned neither mentioned the fact that Cameron was sitting next to House.
Wilson held out a chair for Cuddy and recived a gentle smile in return. He then took a seat on the chair that was origanly Cameron's, since Cameron was sitting in his original seat, next to House.
Wilson noticed how tense Chase looked, and he felt sorry for him. However it was clear that Cameron wasn't in love with Chase, not like Chase was in her.
Wanting to dissolve the tension around the table, Wilson said to House that he would buy him a drink at the bar. House knew that the drinks at the bar were free, but he wanted to get away to think, and he couldn't do that with everybody watching his every move.
After the Vicodin started kicking in, House managed to get up with the help of his cane, and limp over to the bar. Wilson had already found a spot he was comfortable in which was near the waiter, with all the drinks he wanted. House supported himself on the wooden counter as he sat down beside Wilson.
"You were good together," Wilson said honestly.
The male waiter brought two glasses of scotch,and put them in front of House and Wilson. Wilson liked his with ice, but House had ordered his scotch dry.
"Yeah" House's respond was simple, and said quietly. House knew that it was not what Wilson had expected him to say, however he had to give Wilson credit for acting as if the words hadn't left House's lips.
Wilson on the other hand never thought that he would get House to admit something, especially something private…mostly because House never wanted to talked about 'personal business' out in public.
"You're still in love with her."
"Yeah, know that too" A helpless facial expression dropped over House, as he turned the full glass of scotch around and around with both of his hands. Soon the glass half full of scotch was running down House's throat.
Wilson didn't dare to ask or say anything else to House. He took a long drink, and slammed it harder than necessary on the bar. It caused House to look up from the drink and smirk at his friend.
Wilson wanted to tell him, tell House the truth about Chase and Cameron, but he knew that it was Cameron's job. It was best if House heard it from her.
Okay, let's make a deal you tell me if you like it or not and I'll promise to put in more House and Cameron goodies. hint, and a huge smile
Don't forget that criticism and corrections are most welcome, as well as notes about whether or not you think things are in character and realistic --- Jess